Oct. 15, 2009

The day many college basketball fans in Southeast Texas have patiently waited for will be here on Friday as the sounds of whistles, squeaky sneakers on hardwood and coaches instructing their players will fill the Montagne Center at Lamar University with the start of the 2009-10 basketball practice season.

Men's head coach Steve Roccaforte will lead his 15-player team through a 90-minute workout Friday night, beginning at 6:30 p.m., followed by a pair of two-practice days on Saturday and Sunday.

Roccaforte is in his fourth season as the head coach following three as an assistant to current LU athletic director Billy Tubbs. The 2009-10 edition of the men's team is the tallest in school history and features seven players measuring at least 6-7, including five who top-out at 6-9 or higher.

Lamar returns six letterwinners and welcomes nine newcomers for this season.

While the men's team has quite a few fresh faces on its roster, women's coach Larry Tidwell and his staff will hit the court with six letterwinners, three redshirts and six newcomers. The Lady Cards will practice once on Friday, from 5-6:30 p.m. and twice on Saturday before taking Sunday off.

Tidwell has led Lamar to 39 victories in his first two seasons at LU, including a 20-win campaign last season that marked the first time since 1992 a Lady Cards team has won as many ball games.